Prime Minister: Political Office and Special Advisers
The question
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps have been taken to ensure that (a) No.10 special advisers and (b) staff of the No.10 Political Office have access to Government IT equipment with the appropriate level of security.
Answered by Ms Abena Oppong-Asare
Everyone who works with government has a duty of confidentiality and a responsibility to safeguard any government information or data that they access or share, and all government departments are required to meet a range of mandatory security standards. As was the case under previous administrations, political staff are first required to hold the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). This check verifies an individual's identity, nationality, immigration status, employment history and criminal record. They are then required to undergo more advanced security vetting upon entry.
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